Development of a Prototype Assay for Azaspiracid Detection in Shellfish

• Project start date: 1 October 2007
• Project status: Completed
• Project type: Food safety
• Discipline: Food chain
• Author/s: Prof Chris Elliott, Queen’s University Belfast
• Collaborator/s: Prof Richard O’Kennedy, Dublin City University, Dr Ambrose Furey, Cork Institute of Technology

Research objective

Azaspiracid (AZA) is a toxin which has adversely affected the health of consumers who have eaten contaminated shellfish. It has been detected in around the world and in particular the coast of Western Europe including Ireland and Britain. Previously, there was no means of performing rapid detection for the toxin, either in algal blooms or in shellfish meat. Regulatory laboratories, public health laboratories and the aquaculture industry had all identified a need to monitor the presence of AZA toxins. An ability to detect the toxin in the early stages of contamination would permit the proactive closure of contaminated beds thereby arresting any risk of exposure and ill-health in consumers. 

Research report

• Title: Unpublished report
• Publication date: 27 November 2008
• Findings:

  The polyclonal antibody was capable of binding all of the available isomers of AZA toxins. The antibody was used in a surface plasmon resonance biosensor (SPR) assay to develop a prototype kit for the toxins. This kit was able to detect AZA toxins at or below the regulatory limit. In addition, a sample extraction procedure was developed which was rapid and efficient at removing the AZA toxins from shellfish samples.

  The prototype assay kit was sent to a second laboratory for testing. The outcome of these tests has paved the way for the possible commercialization of the AZA test kits.

  The full report is available on request from [email protected]